Wednesday, June 08, 2005

Roses are dormant at this time of the year in the Southern hemisphere. Winter is the best time to prune roses, usually when leaves have fallen from the plant and there is no sign of any new growth. When preparing for winter pruning, ensure tools are sharp and sterile between cutting each plant.

Prepare your spray solutions before pruning so you are ready to spray plants immediately after pruning. Copper sulphate spray and oil based sprays work well in combination to control fungal diseases and insects over winter.

There are many copper compounds that are used as fungicides. The most common is Bordeaux mix. This is a combination of copper sulphate and hydrated lime.